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Clauses & Sentence Connectors — Identify, Join and Correct

✍️ Grammar · ⏱️ 8 min read · Updated July 2026

Find the job before naming the clause

A clause contains a subject and a finite verb. An independent clause can stand alone; a dependent clause works as one part of a larger sentence.

Clause	Job in the sentence	Fast test	Example
Noun clause	Acts as subject, object or complement	Replace it with “something”	What she decided surprised us.
Adjective clause	Describes a noun or pronoun	Ask “which one?”	The book that you lent me is useful.
Adverb clause	Adds time, reason, condition, contrast, purpose or result	Ask when, why, how or under what condition	We stayed inside because it was raining.

Exam shortcut: identify the clause’s function first. The opening word alone is not enough: that can introduce a noun clause or an adjective clause.

हिन्दी संकेत: clause का नाम उसके पहले शब्द से नहीं, पूरे sentence में उसके काम से तय करें—noun, adjective या adverb का काम।

Choose connectors by relationship

Meaning	Coordinating / linking choices	Example
Addition	and, moreover, furthermore	The plan is clear; moreover, it is practical.
Contrast	but, yet, however, although, whereas	Although it was late, she continued.
Cause	because, since, as	We revised because the test was near.
Result	so, therefore, consequently	The road was blocked; therefore, we turned back.
Condition	if, unless, provided that	You will improve if you practise daily.
Purpose	so that, in order that	Read slowly so that you notice the tone.

Because vs therefore: do not write “Because it rained, therefore we stayed in.” Use either Because it rained, we stayed in or It rained; therefore, we stayed in.

Four high-frequency editing traps

Fragment: “Because the bell rang.” is incomplete. Add an independent clause: “Because the bell rang, the students left.”
Comma splice: do not join two independent clauses with only a comma. Use a full stop, semicolon or comma + coordinating conjunction.
Faulty parallelism: match grammatical forms: “She likes reading, writing and debating,” not “reading, to write and debates.”
Misplaced connector: however is a conjunctive adverb, not a coordinating conjunction. “The paper was difficult; however, she stayed calm.”

Correction: “The teacher who explained the rule, she gave another example.” → “The teacher who explained the rule gave another example.” Avoid the repeated subject.

Quick self-check

1. What type of clause is “What he said” in “What he said was true”?

A noun clause. It acts as the subject and can be replaced by “something.”

2. Correct: “Although the paper was long, but she finished it.”

“Although the paper was long, she finished it.” Do not pair although with but in the same structure.

3. Make this parallel: “He enjoys reading, to travel and music.”

“He enjoys reading, travelling and listening to music.” All three items now use -ing forms.

Syllabus basis: KVS Tier-II Direct Recruitment syllabus, PGT English Section C: Grammar and Usage — sentence structure, parallelism, sentence connectors and noun/adjective/adverb clauses. View official KVS source.

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